EngageAI feature
Air-to-Rail Interventions
Turn rail policy into booking behaviour without restricting traveller choice.
EngageAI transforms historic travel data into targeted action — identifying repeat short-haul flyers on rail-eligible routes, anticipating their next trip, and intervening at the moment of booking.
Rail is available but travellers still choose to fly
The majority of corporate travel policies mandate rail for journeys under four hours. Yet short-haul flights continue to dominate these routes for many travel programmes. As high-speed rail corridors expand across EMEA, Asia and the US, rail is increasingly available — but it isn’t the default. Air-to-Rail interventions change that.
EngageAI surfaces time savings and comfort benefits directly to travellers — via Teams, email or Slack — when they're likely to book their next trip, making rail the easy, attractive choice. The result? Higher policy compliance, earlier bookings, and measurable carbon reduction.
Air-to-Rail savings: London – Amsterdam
~96% emissions reduction
Flight emissions: 0.047 tCO2e
Rail emissions: 0.002 tCO2e
Minimal journey time difference
Rail journey time: 5h 53min
Typical flight time: 4h 40min
What’s accounted for
This comparison considers airport queues, customs and getting into the city center.
How Air-to-Rail Interventions work
1. Identify travellers and rail-eligible routes
EngageAI applies your rail policy thresholds to determine which routes qualify. It then analyses historic booking behaviour to identify travellers who repeatedly book flights on those routes.
Only routes that meet defined eligibility criteria are selected. Eligibility thresholds are configurable in line with your policy.
2. Deliver a timely, personalised nudge
Pre-Booking: When a traveller regularly flies an eligible route, EngageAI can predict their next likely trip and intervene ahead of booking, guiding them to opt for rail over air travel.
At Point of Booking: When a traveller books a flight on an eligible route, rail is surfaced as a viable alternative at the point of booking.
Post-Booking: If a flight has been booked on a rail-eligible route, EngageAI follows up with guidance to update the booking and switch to rail.
3. Observe, learn and reinforce
After intervening, EngageAI analyses:
- Whether modal shift occurred
- Whether further nudging is appropriate
The system continuously learns which travellers respond – and which do not and why – preventing unnecessary messaging. Where travellers made the change to rail, positive reinforcement can be delivered, shaping habits long-term.
More interventions like this
Air-to-Rail is one of several interventions within EngageAI. Other examples include booking lead-time optimisation and ground transport swaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you decide which routes qualify for rail nudging?
Rail is surfaced only where defined eligibility criteria are met, including whether your existing travel policy supports rail for that journey time (e.g. under four hours).
If a route does not meet these criteria, no intervention is triggered.
What if rail is slower on a specific route?
Rail is not surfaced unless the time impact remains commercially acceptable and consistent with policy thresholds. The goal is to shift behaviour where practical, not to compromise traveller productivity.
What happens if a traveller ignores the rail suggestion?
EngageAI monitors booking outcomes and adjusts future interventions accordingly. Travellers who repeatedly ignore rail prompts on a route will not continue to receive the same message.
Can we pilot this before rolling it out programme-wide?
Yes. Air-to-Rail interventions can be deployed on selected high-frequency routes or within specific regions to measure rail adoption and emissions impact before expanding programme-wide.
Isn't rail more expensive than flying?
Rail pricing varies by route and booking window. On many under-four-hour routes, rail is cost-competitive with air when booked in advance.
Ready to activate rail on your highest-impact routes?
Let's chat about how Air-to-Rail Interventions bring your policy to life.
